Things My Mother Taught Me

Today would have been my mom's 83rd birthday.  She died at 69 unfortunately, but I think of her almost every day and pause every June 30th to think of something from way back in the brain vault to make me smile.  This year I thought I'd compile a list of things she taught me.  Not just implicitly or infusively, but actually taught me in some way or another.

• To judge people by their actions not so much by what they say
• To treat animals with kindness
• To respect people's privacy.  Knock before entering.  Don't go through people's stuff
• Ask before borrowing
• NEVER burn bridges
• Fess up if I break or lose something belonging to someone else
• How to cook spaghetti, pancakes, hamburgers, hotdogs, eggs and bacon
• How to sew simple stuff (buttons, tears, etc.)
• How to perform first aid on bad cuts (I had quite a few growing up)
• How to remove my own stitches
• Stay calm under pressure
• How to set the timing on a 1968 Ford Mustang the "old way"
• What someone does in life has no relation to how important they are as a human being
• Everyone is an expert at something, and a complete dumb ass at many other things
• To appreciate the story in everything
• To appreciate Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, ELP, Yes, as well as Bach, Mozart, Zappa, Mickey Hart and Airto
• Read books (I'm still playing catch-up)
• You will always need something the day after you've thrown it away
• Never make promises you cannot keep
• Follow through on the promises you make
• Scary looking people are usually not scary inside
• History is not dull.  Textbooks are dull
• People who don't pay for things have no value for those things
• You have to learn about pain and happiness yourself. No one can teach them to you
• Don't yell from the next room.  Come over and ask in a normal voice
• Don't answer someone yelling from the next room until they come over and ask in a normal voice
• Beauty and Kindness are rare in life because it makes you appreciate them more
• It always feels better to earn something
• Don't make fun of other people.  You don't know what they feel inside
• Defend yourself. No one else will
• How to remove a Tick
• Drink water before you go out to work in the heat
• How to solder electrical connections
• How to read the PDR and Goodman & Gilman's books
• Hugs are important